Handle for hospital bed

ABSTRACT

A handle ( 5 ) is coupled to a frame ( 8 ) of a patient support by a bracket ( 1, 1 ′) and a post ( 2 ). The handle ( 5 ) includes a locking mechanism ( 6 ).

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to patient supports. More particularly,the present invention relates to a handle on a hospital bed to assistbed ingress and egress.

It is known to provide a handle or an assist arm on a patient supportsuch as a hospital bed, stretcher, table or other support. See, forexample, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,060,327 and 6,240,583 which are incorporatedherein by reference. U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/361,960,filed Mar. 5, 2002, is also expressly incorporated by reference herein.

In an illustrated embodiment, an assist arm is provided for use with apatient support structure having a frame. The assist arm comprises apost attached to the frame and a handle coupled to the post forrotational movement about the post between an upright position and aretracted position. The post includes a first bore having a first depthand a second bore having a second depth that is greater than the firstdepth. The handle includes a locking mechanism which cooperates with thefirst and second bores to retain the handle in the retracted positionand to lock the handle in the upright position, respectively. Thelocking mechanism automatically releases the handle from the retractedposition when a force is applied on the handle to move the handle towardthe upright position.

In another illustrated embodiment, an assist arm is provided for usewith a patient support structure having a frame. The assist armcomprises a bracket having a pair of substantially parallel sidesconnected together by a web, the sides being configured to attach toopposed faces of the frame, a post attached to the bracket, and a handlecoupled to the post for rotational movement about the post between anupright position and a retracted position.

In yet another illustrated embodiment, assist arm is provided for usewith a patient support structure having a frame defining a footprint.The assist arm comprises a support element having a free end, a handgrip mounted on said free end, and means for removably mounting thesupport element on a frame of the patient support structure for movementbetween a vertical operational position and a horizontal stored positionbelow the frame and within the footprint of the frame.

Additional features of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detaileddescription of embodiments of the invention in conjunction with theassociated drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a handle accordingto the present invention located in an upright position.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the handle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the handle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, showing a secondembodiment of handle according to the present invention located in anupright position.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the handle of FIG. 4 in a retractedposition.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the handle of FIG. 4 inintermediate positions.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the handle of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments described below are merely exemplary and are notintended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Instead,the embodiments were selected for description to enable one of ordinaryskill in the art to practice the invention.

The handle apparatus represented in the figures comprises primarily anattachment bracket 1 and a handle 5. In one illustrated embodiment(FIGS. 1-3) the bracket 1 is a “U”-shaped clamp with two parallel sides10, 11 and a web 12. Sides 10, 11 form an opening A opposite web 12. Inuse, sides 10, 11 are attached above and below the upper and lower facesof a frame 8 of a patient support, or bed, with suitable fasteners.Thus, frame 8 is received within opening A of bracket 1. Sides 10, 11thus extend (along their widths) parallel to a longitudinal axis X-X′ ofthe bed.

A lower face of side 11 is fixedly connected to a post 2, that extendsalong a longitudinal axis Y-Y′, forming an angle, for example, of 45°relative to sides 10, 11 as best shown in FIG. 3. A tubular sleeve 3rotatably engages post 2. Sleeve 3 is fixedly connected to a tube 4 thatextends radially from sleeve 3 in a substantially perpendicularorientation relative thereto. In the upright position of FIGS. 1-3, tube4 extends in the opposite direction of opening A. On the interior oftube 4 is assembled a locking mechanism 6 as is further described below.An external wall 110 of tube 4 is radially fixed to a foot portion 51 ofhandle 5. A grip portion 50 extends from foot portion 51. Grip portion50 is intended to be used by the occupant of the bed to support theoccupant when entering and exiting the bed. Handle 5 may be formed intoany of a variety of different shapes.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4-7, bracket 1′ also is an attachmentbracket, but its sides 10′ and 11′ extend vertically for attachment tothe corresponding vertical faces of a frame 8. Thus, opening A′ extendsupwardly. The horizontal web 12′ includes a horizontal extension 13′, towhich post 2 is fixed.

As shown in FIG. 8, post 2 includes a substantially cylindrical body 20that extends along axis Y-Y′. Near one end of body 20 is an annulargroove 22. Groove 22 defines an area 21 of reduced diameter relative tothe diameter of other portions of body 20. Two bores 23, 23′ are formedinto body 20 adjacent its other end. Bores 23, 23′ are aligned with oneanother on opposite sides of body 20 (i.e., 180 degrees of separation).Bores 23, 23′ are of substantially identical diameter. First bore 23 isrelatively shallow (for example, about 1.5 mm), while second bore 23′ isdeeper (for example about 8 mm).

Sleeve 3 includes a body 30 that is rotatably engaged on post 2. Theinterior diameter of body 30 corresponds, except for tolerances, to anexternal diameter of cylindrical body 20 of post 2. Body 30 includes athreaded opening 102 for receiving a screw 31 that engages groove 22 ofpost 2 when threaded sufficiently into opening 102. Since groove 22extends only half way around the circumference of post 2, screw 31limits the translation and rotation of sleeve 3 relative to post 2. Body30 further includes a circular opening 33 that, depending upon therotational position of sleeve 3, may align with one or the other ofbores 23, 23′.

Tube 4 is hollow, having a bore 40 defined therein. End wall 112 of tube4 includes an opening 41 of reduced diameter that communicates with theopening 33 of body 30.

Locking mechanism 6 extends into bore 40 of tube 4. Locking mechanism 6includes a bolt 7 extending into bore 40 and having a body 61 and an end64 of substantially identical diameter generally corresponding to theinternal diameter of opening 41. However, in other embodiments, thesediameters of body 61 and end 64 could be different. Tip 65 of end 64 ischamfered. An intermediate guide portion 63 is disposed on body 61. Theouter diameter of guide portion 63 corresponds to the interior diameterof bore 40. A spring 104 is positioned onto body 61, having an outerdiameter that substantially corresponds to the interior diameter of bore40. Spring 104 includes a first end 104A that engages guide portion 63and a second end 104B that engages a stopper 106. Stopper 106 is placedin bore 40 at the end of tube 4 opposite end wall 112. Stopper 106includes a central opening 106A to receive body 61 and a side opening106B to receive a screw post 42. An axial groove 62 is formed in body61, also for receiving screw post 42, which extends through a threadedopening 43 formed in tube 4. Screw post 42 and groove 62 limit axialdisplacement of bolt 7 in tube 4. Screw post 42 and groove 62 alsoprevent rotation of bolt 7 about the axis Z-Z′of tube 4.

Locking mechanism 6 also includes a knob 60 attached to body 61 of bolt7. By pulling on knob 60 (in the direction of arrow 108), the usercompresses spring 104 between stopper 106 and guide portion 63, andretracts tip 65 of end 64 out of opening 33 of sleeve 3. When knob 60 isreleased, spring 104 urges bolt 7 back into its initial position. Whenhandle 5 is in the retracted position (FIG. 5), tip 65 of end 64 islocated in bore 23. Since bore 23 is relatively shallow, bolt 7 issimply indexed (i.e., weakly locked) in the retracted position. As such,handle 5 may be moved out of the retracted position without requiringactivation of locking mechanism 6 by pulling knob 60. The indexing,however, is sufficiently strong to prevent handle 5 from simply fallingout of the retracted position as a result of, for example, vibrationassociated with movement of the bed.

To move handle 5 from the retracted position of FIG. 5 in which handle 5is substantially contained in a plane P′ parallel to the ground when theframe is in a flat position, to an upright position (FIG. 4), the usergrasps grip portion 50 of handle 5 and begins rotational movement aboutaxis Y-Y′. This movement disengages tip 65 from bore 23. During furtherrotation of handle 5 about axis Y-Y′, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, tip 65slides on cylindrical body 20 of post 2. After swiveling 180°, theupright position of FIG. 4 is reached, and tip 65 engages and isreceived by second bore 23′ under the biasing force of spring 104, thuslocking handle 5. When in the upright position, the handle 5 issubstantially contained in a plane (not pictured) substantiallyperpendicular to the plane P′.

To return to the retracted position, the user illustratively pulls outon knob 60 and rotates handle 5 about axis Y-Y′ in an oppositedirection. In the retracted position, the handle 5 is located below theframe 8 and also within a footprint defined by the frame 8. Therefore,the handle 5 may be stored in an out-of-the-way position on the patientsupport, or removed entirely by uncoupling the bracket 1 or 1′ from theframe 8.

In an embodiment not shown, bracket 1 or 1′ is eliminated and post 2 isattached directly to a lower face of frame 8 of the patient support.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference tospecific embodiments, variations and modifications exist within thescope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in thefollowing claims.

1. An assist arm for use with a patient support structure having aframe, the assist arm comprising: a post attached to the frame, the postincluding a first bore having a first depth and a second bore having asecond depth that is greater than the first depth; and a handle coupledto the post for rotational movement about the post between an uprightposition and a retracted position, the handle including a lockingmechanism which cooperates with the first and second bores to retain thehandle in the retracted position and to lock the handle in the uprightposition, respectively, the locking mechanism automatically releasingthe handle from the retracted position when a force is applied on thehandle to move the handle toward the upright position.
 2. The assist armof claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism rotates with the handle. 3.The assist arm of claim 1, further comprising a bracket coupled to thepost to removably attach the post and the handle to the frame.
 4. Theassist arm of claim 1, wherein the frame defines a plane, and the postdefines a longitudinal axis that forms about a 45-degree angle relativeto the plane of the frame.
 5. The assist arm of claim 1, wherein thepost is received within the handle.
 6. The assist arm of claim 1,wherein the locking mechanism includes a locking bolt and a springconfigured to bias the locking bolt against the post so that the boltengages the first and second bores when aligned therewith.
 7. The assistarm of claim 1, further comprising an actuator to selectively releasethe locking mechanism when the handle is in the locked upright position.8. The assist arm of claim 1, wherein the frame defines a footprint andthe handle is located below the frame and within the footprint of theframe when the handle is in the retracted position.
 9. An assist arm foruse with a patient support structure having a frame, the assist armcomprising: a bracket having a pair of substantially parallel sidesconnected together by a web, the sides being configured to attach toopposed faces of the frame; a post attached to the bracket; and a handlecoupled to the post for rotational movement about the post between anupright position and a retracted position.
 10. The assist arm of claim9, wherein the post is received within the handle.
 11. The assist arm ofclaim 9, wherein the handle is located below the frame when the handleis in the retracted position.
 12. The assist arm of claim 11, whereinthe handle is located within a footprint defined by the frame when thehandle is in the retracted position.
 13. The assist arm of claim 9,wherein the post defines a longitudinal axis that is aligned at a45-degree angle with respect to the sides of the bracket.
 14. The assistarm of claim 9, wherein the handle is located in a first plane when thehandle is in an upright position and the handle is located in a secondplane when the handle is in a retracted position, the first plane beingperpendicular to the second plane.
 15. The assist arm of claim 9,wherein the post includes a first bore having a first depth and a secondbore having a second depth that is greater than the first depth, and thehandle includes a locking mechanism which cooperates with the first andsecond bores to retain the handle in the retracted position and to lockthe handle in the upright position, respectively, the locking mechanismautomatically releasing the handle from the retracted position when aforce is applied on the handle to move the handle toward the uprightposition.
 16. An assist arm for use with a patient support structurehaving a frame defining a footprint, the assist arm comprising: asupport element having a free end; a hand grip mounted on said free end,and means for removably mounting the support element on a frame of thepatient support structure for movement between a vertical operationalposition and a horizontal stored position below the frame and within thefootprint of the frame.
 17. The assist arm of claim 16, wherein themounting means includes a bracket having a pair of substantiallyparallel sides connected by a web and a fastener for coupling thebracket to the frame.
 18. The assist arm of claim 16, further comprisingmeans for retaining support element in the operational position and thestored position.
 19. The assist arm of claim 18, wherein the retainingmeans locks the support element in the vertical operational position andapplies a retention force on the support element when the supportelement is in stored position.
 20. The assist arm of claim 16, furthercomprising an actuator configured to release the retaining means andpermit the support element to be moved from the operational position tothe stored position.